3 Things To Look For In Your Physical Therapist
Rehabilitation is a crucial part of your way to recover from injury or surgery and get you back to (or even better than) the way you did before. There are a large number of professionals seeking expertise in the field of physical rehabilitation.
The best trained and qualified of these, however, is a physical therapist (PT). Deciding on a PT can be a challenge if you’ve never done it before and don’t really know what to look for.
In this article, we will highlight the ten most important things you need to know before choosing your PT to ensure that you maximize your chance of full recovery and return to pre-injury function.
- They should set a realistic recovery timeline.
You want to make sure that your physical therapist has your best interest in mind, and that means using your time wisely. Upon entering the office for the first time, there should be a conversation about the patient’s goals in physical therapy. Arsh S. Dhanota, M.D., sports medicine physician at the University of Pennsylvania, says to SELF, then sets a timeline reflecting these objectives. “This timeline may be as short as six weeks, or even longer than 12 weeks. Your P.T., every subsequent visit. Your progress towards achieving those goals should be measured. If you’re not making progress toward that goal, then you need to pivot.” Your doctor should recognize when it’s time to try something new and come up with a new action plan.
- They should also encourage you to work outside the office on your issue.
Sure, it would be great if you could fix major illnesses like a tweaked back or a twisted ankle with an hour’s worth of work every week. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Often, physical therapists will require you to do some homework—a series of movements, like stretches—to build on what you did at the office, so choose a P.T. that gives you clear instructions and directions so you know exactly what you should do at home. Successful physical therapy is a two-way street. The physical therapist will do his or her part to help you recover; however, it is also important for you to take an active part in your treatment by following the advice of the physical therapist.
- If you have a very specific issue, they’re supposed to have experience with it.
If you have a specific sport-related injury, try to find a P.T. who has experience—or better, specializes—in this injury. Runners should try to see a physical therapist specializing in runners or a runner himself. You want to be in a position to relate to each other.
Are You Looking for a Physical Therapist Near San Jose You Can Trust?
Pace Physical Therapy in San Jose, California specializes in non-surgical neck pain relief and recovery therapies. We pride ourselves on offering the best possible physical therapy available and going above and beyond for our patients. Our highly experienced physical therapist will work with you to improve your function and relieve your pain. We start by assessing the body as a whole. Oftentimes the cause of pain or an injury extends far beyond just the body part or muscle hurting. Without taking a comprehensive look at your entire self, we would be doing you a disservice in fully helping you heal and preventing future limitations. We then move on to fixing your areas of limitation. Not all diagnoses are created equal. One person with neck pain may have completely different limitations than the next person. Your recovery program needs to be specific to what YOUR body needs and not just the typical exercise program that you can find online. Just because your pain decreases or you can walk longer doesn’t mean that it is enough to get you functioning at the level you want to be. While this often signifies the end of care at your typical PT clinic we don’t stop providing guidance until we help you successfully meet every goal you set for yourself with us on day one. Contact us today to schedule your appointment!
